Well packer



C. C. BROWN WELL PACKER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 7,1952

a pfl fiw /Z f 52 i; H 5 Wm II. v W m C B mm M 9 0 0 a 2 M 3 M fl, g 7)1-]; N w M W A TTOR/VE 0 Oct. 9, 1956 c. (1 BROWN 2,765,853

WELL PACKER Filed April 7, 195g s Sheets-Sheet 2 C/cero C. Brow/7INVENTOR.

ATTORNE YJ Oct. 9, 1956 c. c. BROWN 2,765,853

WELL PACKER Filed April 7, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 C/cer C. Brown iINVENTOR.

/9 BY 2. M

ATfORA/Egg WELL PAQKER Cicero C. Brown, Houston, Tex.

Application April 7, 1952, Serial No. 280,971

6 Claims. (Cl. 166-134) This invention relates to new end usefulimprovements in well packers.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved well packerapparatus which is adapted to be set within a well pipe and which isprovided with an auxiliary anchoring means for preventing upwarddisplacement of the packer from its set position by excessive pressurewhich may develop below said apparatus.

An important object of this invention is to provide a well packer havingan auxiliary anchoring means associated therewith for locking the packeragainst upward movement within the well pipe after said packer has beenmoved into set position, said auxiliary anchoring means being operableby the pressure below the packer, whereby the presence or" pressurebelow the packer which might otherwise be sufiicient to displace thepacker upwardly is utilized to urge the auxiliary anchoring means intofirm locking position to prevent such upward displacement of the packer.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved well packerwherein the packing means is disposed between two sets of slips, one ofthe sets of slips being adapted to be set in a well pipe by longitudinalmovement of the tubular support therefor, and the other set of slipsserving as an auxiliary pipe gripping means when there exists a pressuredifferential across the packing means after the packing means has beenexpanded to its sealing position with the well pipe, whereby saidauxiliary slips prevent the premature release of the packing means andthe first set of slips.

A particular object of this invention is to provide an improved wellpacker wherein the mandrel or support thereof is provided with aprojection which co-acts with the slip carrier to move said carrier to apredetermined point in a well pipe after which setting of the slips maybe accomplished; said projection being capable of functioning as ajarring means to effect release of the slips and the packing elementwhen it is desired to move the packer from its set position within thewell pipe.

A still further object is to provide a well packer apparatus which isadapted to be set within the well pipe in the usual manner with grippingslips holding the apparatus against downward movement, said apparatushaving auxiliary anchoring means at its upper end together with apassage establishing communication between the anchoring means and thearea below the apparatus when the apparatus is in its set position,whereby pressure from below said apparatus will move the auxiliaryanchoring means into gripping position to lock the apparatus againstupward displacement from its set position.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawingsforming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown,and

wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the well packer of thisinvention, illustrating the relationship of the parts thereof as thewell packer is inserted in a well pipe,

Figure 2 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the well packer ofthis invention, illustrating the relationship of the parts thereofduring the release of the re leasable connecting means between thefriction spring member and the tubular support,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the well packer of thisinvention, illustrating the relationship of the parts when the slips andthe packing element are in their set position in the well pipe,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the well packer of thisinvention, illustrating the relationship of the parts thereof when thethreaded spear coupling has been disengaged and the slips and packingelement have been retracted,

Figures 5 and 5A are longitudinal views, partly in section and partly inelevation, which together illustrate the details of the improved wellpacker of this invention,

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 5 andillustrating the details of the threaded spear type coupling,

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 77 of Figure 5 andillustrates particularly the auxiliary slips or anchoring means of thisinvention,

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Figure 5and illustrating particularly the flow passage for the fluid in the wellwhich serves to actuate the auxiliary slips when there is a differentialof pressure above and below the packing element.

In the drawings, the letter A designates generally the improved wellpacker of this invention. The improved well packer A is adapted to beinserted within a well pipe P. The well packer A includes a tubularsupport 10 which is located in a pipe string and is adapted to belowered by such pipe string or conductor 11 into the well pipe P. Thetubular support 10 is connected to the pipe string 11 by conventionaltool joints or couplings 12 and has connection with a sleeve support 14through a releasable spear coupling 15. The sleeve support 14 is shownas composed of the parts Ma, 14b and 140, although it will beappreciated that these parts may be integral if desired. Mounted in thesleeve support 14 is an auxiliary anchoring means or slips 16, thedetails of which will be described hereinafter. Mounted below the slips16 is a packing means or element 17 with which is associated a slipexpander 18.

The sleeve support 14 with its associated parts, namely, the auxiliaryslips 16, the packing element 17, and the slip expander 18, arelongitudinally or axially movable with respect to the tubular support119 but they are normally held in fixed relationship to the tubularsupport 15 by the spear coupling 15. Below the sleeve support 14 and itsassociated parts there is located the main anchoring means or slips 19which are carried by friction spring means 20'. The friction springmeans 29 and the slips 19 are floating, that is, they are movableaxially or longitudinally with respect to the tubular support 19.

The slip expanders 18 and'the slips 19 are prevented from telescopingduring the insertion of the well packer A into the well pipe P by reasonof a projection or collar 21 on the tubular support 10. This projectionor collar 21 has its lower edge abutting with resilient fingers 22connected to the resilient spring means 20. Such collar 21 and resilientfingers 22 together serve as a connecting means between the frictionspring means 20 and the tubular support. 10 of the well packer A intothe pipe P. Mounted on the tubular support it below the collar 21 is asleeve 23 which serves as a releasing means for the connection betweenthe collar 21 and the resilient fingers 3 22. The details of theconstruction and operation thereof will be described hereinafter.

The details of the well packer of this invention are shown particularlyin Figures 5-8, Figures 5 and 5A showing the detailed construction ofsubstantially the complete well packer. In Figure 5 it can be seen thatthe tubular support is threaded at 10a to the tool joint section 12which has threads a thereon. These threads 15a engage with the threads15b on semicircular segments 15c and 15d surrounding section 12 andwithin sleeve support 14 to form the threaded spear coupling 15. As isclearly illustrated in Figure 6, the two semicircular segments 15c and15d are urged together by a circular spring 26, which fits into anannular notch in the periphery of the segments 15c and 15d. There is aspace 27 between the exterior of the segments 15c and 15d and theinterior of the tubular support 14 to permit the segments 15c and 15d toseparate when the threads 15a on the tool joint section 12 are speareddownwardly against the threads 15b. This permits a quick couplingbetween the threads 15a and 15b but requires the rotation of the tooljoint 12 and its tubular support 16 connected therewith in order torelease the connection 15.

The releasable coupling segments 15c and 15d rest on an annular plate29, which plate rests upon a shoulder 30 of the portion 14b of thesleeve support 14. The segments 15c and 150? are retained in centeredposition within the portion 140 of the tubular sleeve 14 by set screws31. Below the plate 29 are seal rings or elements 32 which are disposedbetween the sleeve support 14 and the tool joint section 12 which incombination with the valve formed by shoulder 65 and seat 66 prevent theflow of fluid thereabove when coupling 15 is engaged. Mounted on thesleeve support 14 are the auxiliary anchor means or slips 16 which arenormally retained in retracted position by a spring 33 which fits withina recess 34 in the slips 16. This spring 33 abuts against a flat plate35 which is secured to the sleeve support 14 by screws 36 or similarsecuring means. These slips 16 function as small pistons in that theyare urged outwardly itno a pipe-gripping position against the action ofthe spring 33 when the fluid pressure on the rear face 16a is greaterthan the pressure on the outside surface 16b where the gripping teethare located.

To prevent the escape of fluid exerting such pressure on the rear face16a of the slips 16, seal rings 37 are provided in annular notches aboutthe periphery of the slips 16. It will be observed that the rear face16a of the slips 16 is spaced from the outside surface of the tubularsupport member 10. This space behind the face 16a is in communicationwith and forms a part of the annular space or passage 39 between thesleeve support 14 and the tubular support 10. The lower portion of thetubular support 14- has an opening 40 therein to permit the flow offluid in the well pipe upwardly through the passage or space 39 so as toactuate the slips 16 when there is a suflicient pressure differentialthereon. The pressure differential must be such that the pressure on therear surface 16a of the slips 16 is greater than the pressure on theouter surface 16b so that the force exerted by the spring 33 may beovercome to move the slips 16 into pipe-gripping position with the wellpipe P.

Threadedly connected to the portion 140 of the sleeve support 14 is aring 38 which has inwardly directed hook 41. This inwardly directed hook41 is engaged by hook portions 42 of the curved segments 43. Thesesegments 43 are connected to the packing element 17 which is composed ofa flexible or resilient material, such as rubber or any of itsequivalents. This connection between the curved segments 43 and thepacking element 17 is preferably made with bolts and associated nuts 45,although it will be appreciated that other suitable securing means couldbe utilized. At the lower end of the packing element 17 are curvedsegments 46 which are identical with the curved segments 43 and haveidentical hook portions 47. These curved segments 45 are likewisesecured to the packing element 17 by bolts and nuts such as 48.

It should be noted that the packing element 17 is not attached to theouter surface of the sleeve of the sleeve support 14 but instead is freeto move therefrom by pivotal action of the hooks 42 and 47. The hooks 42pivot outwardly in the inwardly directed hooks 41 when the packingelement is expanded or moved away from the sleeve Me to its expandedsealing position with the well pipe P. Similarly, the hooks 47 pivot inhooks 56 on a slip expander 18 which are located therebelow.

This slip expander 13 is of conical construction and thus iswedge-shaped in cross-section, having an inwardly tapered outer surface52. The expander 18 is also free to move on the sleeve 14c but it isrestrained against downward movement relative to the sleeve 14c of thesleeve support 14 by the annular shoulder 53 formed on the lower edge ofthe sleeve 140 above the opening 40.

Positioned below the slip expander 18 and entirely disconnectedtherefrom are the main anchoring means or slips 19. These slips 19 areof conventional construction and are carried by extensions 56 of thefriction spring members 57 forming part of the friction spring means 20.The extensions 56 are secured to the slips 19 by screws 58 or othersuitable securing means. The resilient springs 57 are themselvessupported by guide rings 59 and 60 to which the resilient springs 57 aresecured by any suitable securing means, such as the screws 61illustrated in Figure 5A. The friction spring means 2t) is soconstructed that the resilient springs 57 are bowed outwardly as shownin Figures 1-4, so as to always engage the inner surface of the wellpipe P. On the guide ring 60 are inwardly directed resilient fingers 22which by reason of their resilience are urged into contact with thetubular support 19 so that their upper edges form a seat for the loweredge 21:: of the collar 21. This collar 21 is welded or otherwiseafiixed to the tubular support 10. The seating between the upper edges22a of the fingers 22 and the lower edges 21a of the collar 21 providesa releasable connection therebetween during lowering of the tubularsupport 10.

It will be observed that there is no connection between the frictionspring means 20 or the slips 19 and the tubular support 10, exceptthrough the engagement of the fingers 22 and the projection or collar21. Such engagement forms a releasable connection for the lowering ofthe well packer into the well pipe, as above mentioned. It should alsobe noted that the slips 19 are sufficiently spaced from the tubularsupport 10 so that there is an annular passage 65 therebehind, whichpermits fluid from below such slips 19 to pass upwardly through theopening 40 and through the annular passage 39 to a point behind theslips 16 even when the slip expander 18 has been moved into engagementwith the slips 19 to move them into their set position.

The operation of the well packer A of this invention can best be seen bya comparison of Figures 1-4, wherein various stages of the operation areillustrated. Referring now to Figure 1, therein can be seen therelationship of the parts of the well packer as they are inserted into awell pipe P. When such positioning is being accomplished, the releasablecoupling 15 is connected so that the sleeves 14 are retained in fixedposition relative to the tubular support 19. In this position the slips16, the packing element 17 and the slip expander 18 are all in retractedposition. The slip expander 18 and the slips 19 are prevented fromtelescoping during such insertion of the well packer into the well pipeby engagement of the resilient fingers 22 with the collar 21. Suchengagement of the collar 21 with the fingers 22 urges the frictionspring means 20 downwardly to the predetermined point at which it isdesired to set the packer within thewell pipe.

When it is desired to set the slips 19 in the well pipe P, the tubularsupport 10 is moved upwardly by raising of the pipe string or conductor11 at .the surface of the well. Such longitudinal movement of thetubular .support also raises the collar 21 from engagement with theresilient fingers 22, as best seen in Figure 2. Additionally, the sleeve23 which serves as the release means is raised upwardly with themovement of the tubulart support 10 so that it is forced past the springfingers 22 and assumes the position shown in Figure 2. This sleevespring 23 has a flange 23a which is of the same diameter as the diameterof the collar 21. The lower edge 23b of such flange tapers upwardly andoutwardly. It will be appreciated that when the tubular support It) israised, the friction spring means 20 will be prevented from movingupwardly therewith since there is no connection therebetween and sincethe resilient spring members 57 are in friction contact with the insideof the Well pipe P.

After the sleeve 23 has assumed the position shown in Figure 2 by theupward longitudinal movement of the tubular support 10, then the tubularsupport 10 is moved downwardly so that the collar 21 is brought intocontact with the flange 23a of the sleeve 23. This downward force iscontinued and due to the beveled surfaces 231) of the sleeve 23, thefingers 22 are moved radially outwardly and will pass on the outside ofthe flange 23a as it moves downwardly. Since the collar 21 is of thesame diameter as the flange 23a, the springs 22 are thus held in theirexpanded position and this permits the collar 21 to slide or move belowsuch fingers 22, thereby releasing the initial connection between thecollar 21 and the fingers 22 which was utilized in the lowering of thewell packer.

In Figure 3 it can be seen that the collar 21 has passed below thefingers 22, permitting the slip expander 18 to engage the inner surfacesof the slips 19 and force them into pipe-gripping position with the wellpipe P. After the slips 19 are thus set, continued downward movement ofthe tubular support 10 urges the packing element 17 into its expandedposition as shown in Figure 3, so that the well pipe P is sealed 011 bysuch packing element. It will be observed in Figure 3 that the curvedsegments 43 and 46 have pivoted outwardly during such expansion of thepacking element 17.

Under normal conditions, the well packer is then in its set and sealedofi position in the well pipe. However, if the pressure below thepacking element 17 exceeds the pressure thereabove there is a tendencyfor such pressure to move the expander upwardly out of the slips whichwould result in an unsetting or release of the apparatus and to obviatethis release, the auxiliary slips or anchor means 16 have been provided.These slips 16 having their rear faces exposed to pressure below thepacker through passage 39 and openings 49 (Figure 5) are urged outwardlyby such pressure into pipe-gripping position at any time that there is asufficient differential of pressure across the packing means 17. It isevident that a greater pressure below the packing element 17 thanthereabove will cause a differential of pressure to exist across theslips 16 and such differential of pressure overcomes the spring 33 toforce the slips 16 in piston-like action into gripping contact orengagement with the inside of the well pipe P to thereby prevent anyupward or unseating movement of the packing element 17 or the upwarddisplacement of the slip expander 18 from within the slips 19.

When it is desired to release the well packer from the well pipe, thepressures above the packing element 17 and therebelow are equalized toretract the slips 16. As

est seen in Figure 4, this release is accomplished by disengagement ofthe threaded coupling by rotation of the tubular support 10, and thenmovement of the support 10 upwardly until the shoulder 65 is raised offthe valve seat 66 and is moved above the seal ring 32, whereby wellfluid from passage 39 may pass upwardly into the area 68 above theauxiliary slips 16. Then, the pressure above and below the slips 16 isthe same, whereby each spring 33 urges each of the slips 16 into theretracted position. Upon continued upward movement of the .tubularsupport 10 a jarring action is imparted to the slip expanders 18 and thepacking element 17 by reason of the contact of the collar or projection21 on the tubular support 10 with the loweredge 55 of the sleeve support14. After the jarring has been obtained, the friction springs 20 willthen be urged upwardly and moved along with the slips 19 due to theseating of the sleeve 23 on the lower edge of the guide ring 60. Thus,all of the parts will be positively moved upwardly by movement of thetubular support 10 and there will be a positive means for retracting allof the elements which are in pipe-engaging position during the use ofthe well packer in the pipe.

It will be appreciated that the device of this invention is adaptablefor use with other types of packers and slips than those illustrated anddescribed herein.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention isillustrative and explanatory thereof and various changes in .the size,shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustratedconstruction may be made, within the scope of the appended claims,without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A well packer for use within a well pipe, comprising a central tube,a packing member mounted on said tube, a first set of slips mounted onsaid tube below said packing member, a second set of slips mounted onsaid tube above said packing member, said second set of slips having itsexterior surface exposed to fluid pressure in the well pipe above saidpacking member, means to expand said packing member into sealingengagement with the well pipe, passage means establishing fluidcommunication between the area adjacent the inner surface of said secondset of slips and the area outside the central tube below said packingmember at all times, whereby said second set of slips is movable intogripping contact with the well pipe when the fluid pressure in the pipebelow the expanded packing member exceeds the pressure thereabove.

2. In a well packer having a support pipe, slips mounted on said supportpipe, means to set said slips in gripping engagement with a well pipe, apacking means on said support pipe, and means for expanding said packingmeans into sealing engagement with the well pipe after said slips areset, the improvement residing in auxiliary slip mounted on the oppositeend of the support pipe from said slips and above said packing means,said auxiliary slip having its exterior surface exposed to the fluidpressure above said packing means and its interior surface exposed tothe fluid pressure below said packing means, and means for establishingfluid communication between the rear of said auxiliary slips and thearea in the well pipe below the packing means to direct the fluid in thewell pipe to said auxiliary slip so as to set same when the pressure ofthe fluid in the well pipe above the packing means is less than thepressure therebelow.

3. A well packer for sealing off a section of well pipe, including atubular support, resilient friction means slidably mounted on saidtubular support, a set of slips carried by said friction means, coactingmeans on said friction means and said tubular support connecting saidfriction means to said tubular support for lowering said friction meansto a predetermined point in a well pipe, means on said tubular supportfor releasing said coacting means upon longitudinal nonrotative movementof said tubular support with respect to said friction means, and slipexpanders on said tubular support for setting said slips after therelease of said coacting means.

4. The device as set for in claim 3, wherein the coacting means includesa projection on the tubular support and resilient fingers on thefriction means, said? fingers being positioned below the projectionduring the lowering of the friction means to said predetermined point.

, same 5. An improved well packer having a tubular support, a packingmeans disposed between two sets of slips on said tubular support, meanson said tubular support for actuating the first of said sets of slipsinto gripping position with a well pipe upon a longitudinal movement ofthe tubular support relative to said first set of slips, the second ofsaid sets of slips being an auxiliary pipe gripping means includingmeans establishing fluid communication between the rear of said secondset of slips and the area in the well pipe below the packing means todirect the well fluid to the said second set of slips so as to set sameinto gripping position with the well pipe by a differential fluidpressure across the packing element when said element is in sealingengagement with the well pipe, such auxiliary gripping means serving asa safety device to prevent the premature release of the packing elementand said first of said sets of slips from their set position in the wellpipe.

6. An improved well packer for use in a well pipe including a tubularmember connected in a pipe string, a sleeve support mounted on saidtubular member with a space therebetween, said sleeve support carryingan auxiliary set of fluid pressure actuatable slips, a packing element,and a slip expander, a friction spring means detachably connected tosaid tubular member, another set of slips carried by the friction springmeans and being actuatable into gripping position with the well pipe bytelescoping with said slip expander upon longitudinal movement of thetubular member, and said space between the sleeve support and tubularmember serving as a passage for the flow of well fluid behind saidauxiliary set of slips to force same into gripping position with thewell pipe when there exists a differential pressure above and below saidpacking element when in a sealing position with the well pipe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS625,648 Darling May 23, 1899 2,159,640 Strom May 23, 1939 2,379,394Young June 26, 1945 2,389,985 Justice et al Nov. 27, 1945 2,467,801Baker Apr. 19, 1949 2,578,900 Ragan Dec. 18, 1951

